2003–04 Isthmian League


The 2003–04 season was the 89th season of the Isthmian League, which is an English football competition featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs from London, East and South East England.
It was the last season for the Isthmian League as a feeder for the Conference Premier. At the end of the season, the Premier Division was replaced as a level 6 league by the newly formed Conference North and Conference South. The Premier Division lost more than half its clubs to newly formed divisions, and the two regional divisions had a number of their clubs promoted to the Premier Division to replace them. Thus, the Isthmian League divisions downgraded to 7-9 levels.

Premier Division

The Premier Division consisted of 24 clubs, including 19 clubs from the previous season and five new clubs:
Canvey Island won the division and were promoted to the Conference National. Clubs finished higher than 14th position were to transfer to the newly created Conference North and South divisions and clubs finished higher than 21st position plus winners of division One were to participate in the play-offs for a two final spots in Conference North/South. After play-offs was held Hendon decided not to take up their option to join the Conference, their place was taken by Basingstoke Town. At the end of the season Ford United were renamed Redbridge.
There were no relegation from the Premier Division this season, though, due to league reform, clubs remained in the division downgraded from sixth tier to seventh.

League table

Stadia and locations

ClubStadium
Aylesbury UnitedBuckingham Road
Basingstoke TownThe Camrose
Bedford TownThe Eyrie
Billericay TownNew Lodge
Bishop's StortfordWoodside Park
Bognor Regis TownNyewood Lane
Braintree TownCressing Road
Canvey IslandBrockwell Stadium
Carshalton AthleticWar Memorial Sports Ground
Ford UnitedOakside
Grays AthleticNew Recreation Ground
Harrow BoroughEarlsmead Stadium
HayesChurch Road
HendonClaremont Road
Heybridge SwiftsScraley Road
Hitchin TownTop Field
HornchurchHornchurch Stadium
Kettering TownRockingham Road
KingstonianKingsmeadow
Maidenhead UnitedYork Road
NorthwoodChestnut Avenue
St Albans CityClarence Park
Sutton UnitedGander Green Lane
ThurrockShip Lane

Play-offs

Division One North

Division One North consisted of 24 clubs, including 18 clubs from the previous season, and six new clubs:
Before the start of the season Leyton Pennant was renamed Waltham Forest.
Yeading won the division, but lost in the play-offs for a place in the newly created Conference North and South and were placed in the Premier Division along with Leyton and Cheshunt. Chesham United, Dunstable Town and Hemel Hempstead Town were transferred to the Southern Football League Premier Division. They were followed by Wealdstone, who defeated Dulwich Hamlet from Division One South. Enfield finished bottom of the table and relegated to Division Two, going down from sixth to ninth tier in two years due to league system reform.
At the end of the season divisions One were merged, all the remaining Division One North clubs were transferred to the Southern Football League Division Ones.

League table

Stadia and locations

ClubStadium
Arlesey TownHitchin Road
AveleyThe Mill Field
Barking & East Ham UnitedMayesbrook Park
Barton RoversSharpenhoe Road
Berkhamsted TownBroadwater
Boreham WoodMeadow Park
Chesham UnitedThe Meadow
CheshuntCheshunt Stadium
Dunstable TownCreasey Park
East Thurrock UnitedRookery Hill
EnfieldMeadow Park
Great Wakering RoversBurroughs Park
Harlow TownHarlow Sportcentre
Hemel Hempstead TownVauxhall Road
LeytonLeyton Stadium
Oxford CityMarsh Lane
Thame UnitedWindmill Road
TilburyChadfields
UxbridgeHoneycroft
Waltham ForestWadham Lodge
WealdstoneWhite Lion
Wingate & FinchleyThe Harry Abrahams Stadium
Wivenhoe TownBroad Lane
YeadingThe Warren

Division One South

Division One South consisted of 24 clubs, including 21 clubs from the previous season, and three new clubs:
Lewes won the division and subsequent play-offs and were promoted to the Conference South. Clubs finished second to sixth were transferred to the Premier Division. Epsom & Ewell finished bottom of the table and were relegated, remaining clubs were to start next season in the merged Isthmian League Division One, going down with it from seventh to ninth level due to creation of Conference North/South.

League table

Stadia and locations

ClubStadium
Ashford Town Short Lane
Banstead AthleticMerland Rise
Bracknell TownLarges Lane
BromleyHayes Lane
Corinthian-CasualsKing George's Field
CroydonCroydon Sports Arena
Croydon AthleticKeith Tuckey Stadium
Dulwich HamletChampion Hill
Egham TownThe Runnymede Stadium
Epsom & EwellMerland Rise
Hampton & Richmond BoroughBeveree Stadium
HorshamQueen Street
LeatherheadFetcham Grove
LewesThe Dripping Pan
MarlowAlfred Davis Memorial Ground
Metropolitan PoliceImber Court
MoleseyWalton Road Stadium
Slough TownStag Meadow
Staines TownWheatsheaf Park
Tooting & Mitcham UnitedImperial Fields
Walton & HershamThe Sports Ground
WhyteleafeChurch Road
Windsor & EtonStag Meadow
WorthingWoodside Road

Division Two

After Hungerford Town resigned from the league, Division Two consisted of 15 clubs, including 12 clubs from the previous season, and three new clubs:
Leighton Town won the division and were transferred to Southern Football League Division One, while runners-up Dorking were transferred to the merged Isthmian League Division One. At the end of the season Wokingham Town merged into Emmbrook Sports to create new club Wokingham & Emmbrook F.C., who joined Hellenic Football League.

League table

Stadia and locations

ClubStadium
Abingdon TownCulham Road
Camberley TownKroomer Park
Chalfont St PeterMill Meadow
Chertsey TownAlwyns Lane
ClaptonThe Old Spotted Dog Ground
DorkingMeadowbank Stadium
Edgware TownWhite Lion
Flackwell HeathWilks Park
Hertford TownHertingfordbury Park
Kingsbury TownAvenue Park
Leighton TownBell Close
WareWodson Park
WembleyVale Farm
Witham TownSpa Road
Wokingham TownCantley Park